“Tried To Make a Whole Outfit”: US Woman's R1000 Cotton on Budget Challenge in Cape Town Stuns SA
- Issey Moloney, an American visiting South Africa, set herself a R1,000 budget at Cotton On and filmed the haul for TikTok
- She browsed clothing racks and accessories, consulting her boyfriend on every item before heading to the till
- South Africans in the comments had strong opinions about Cotton On prices and where she should have shopped instead
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Source: TikTok
An American woman visiting South Africa gave herself a R1,000 challenge at Cotton On. She did not make it.
Issey Moloney, who goes by @isseypovs on TikTok, posted the video on 17 August 2026. It was filmed inside what appears to be a Cotton On store in Cape Town, with South African rand price tags clearly visible on the racks.
She went in looking for a coat, some warm layers, and whatever else caught her eye. The coat never made it into her basket. Instead, she settled on a pair of pyjamas, two hair clips, and a pack of socks. She also paused over a pair of pink sweatpants priced at R500, checked in with her boyfriend, and put them back. She said:
"I tried to make a whole outfit."
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At the till, the total came to R2,000, double her original budget.
Cotton On Prices shock South Africans
The video sparked a lively conversation in the comments, with many South Africans questioning whether Cotton On was even the right store for a budget haul in the first place.
Several viewers pointed out that R1,000 does not stretch as far as it used to in any South African clothing store, while others had a very specific recommendation for where she should have gone instead.
View the TikTok video below:
Mzansi reacts to the Cotton On budget haul
South Africans took to her page with their thoughts:
@nini said:
"You can barely look at something without a R1000 🙄🫡"
@me wrote:
"Go to Mr Price 👀👀👀 please"
@Deniseeee🌺 said:
"R500 for sweats? BRO WHAT 😭😭😭"
@0L¡V£ asked:
"Is this at Cape Gate!!!! or Tygervalley!!!"
@𓆩𝕫𝕕𝕟𓆪☠ noticed:
"Factorie bag at Cotton On? Am I tweaking"
@Allees-world reflected:
"When I was 16, my mom gave me R1000 for my birthday and got a c*** tone from Mr Price. Can't get nothing for that nowadays"
More Briefly News stories on clothing
- A South African woman plugged PEP’s marked-down formal pants on TikTok, leaving bargain hunters impressed by the affordable find.
- A Johannesburg creator plugged Fairland Walk outlet centre for bargain hunters, showcasing discounted branded clothing from stores including Puma, Adidas, Levi’s and Under Armour.
- A South African woman praised PEP for its 100% cotton clothing while criticising Woolworths and Spencer’s for selling more polyester, prompting Mzansi to weigh in on fabric quality and affordability.
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Source: Briefly News
